Threshing machine rotor

ABSTRACT

A disc-type rotor assembly for a threshing machine in which threshing teeth are maintained in their preferred generally radial direction by spacers which are inserted between the rotor discs and extend the full circumferential length between threshing teeth mounting locations on the rotor discs.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to threshing machines, and, moreparticularly, the invention provides an improved threshing machine rotorassembly.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Threshing machines of the type described herein are often used toseparate the stem of a leaf from the lamina portions of the leaf.Preferably, the stem should be separated from the rest of the leaf witha minimum of damage to the lamina and providing the largest possiblelamina pieces. The above process is generally executed using a series ofthreshing machines in which the first machines have a rotor whichrotates relatively slowly and has relatively widely spaced teethradially extending from the rotor which are effective to tear thelargest pieces of lamina from the leaf stem. The separated pieces oflamina and remaining feedstock pass through relatively large openings ofa semicircular screen or basket which is beneath and in close proximityto the ends of the threshing teeth. The separated pieces of lamina andremaining feedstock are then conveyed to a separating machine. Thelarger lamina pieces which are lighter than the remaining heavierfeedstock are separated from the feedstock and collected. The remainingportions of the leaf together with its stem then pass to a successivethreshing stage in which the threshing rotor rotates at a slightlygreater velocity and has a greater number of threshing teeth extendingradially therefrom with lesser spaces between the teeth. Further, theopenings in the screen or basket are smaller. This stage of threshing iseffective to remove smaller pieces of lamina from the leaf stem whichare conveyed to a downstream separator stage in which the loose smallerpieces of lamina are separated from the remaining stem and collected.The processes of threshing, separating and collecting successivelysmaller pieces of lamina are repeated with successive threshing machinestages each having a threshing rotor rotating successively faster andhaving a successively greater number of more closely spaced, radiallyextending threshing teeth.

Threshing machines of the above type may have threshing rotors thatrange in length from three feet to twelve feet. Further, the threshingrotors may have a center body which is up to sixteen inches in diameter,and threshing teeth may radially extend from the center body anadditional five inches. The larger threshing rotors may weigh up to twotons. There are basically two designs for connecting the radiallyextending threshing teeth to the threshing rotor. With the first, orfixed tooth position design, parallel pairs of ears are welded to theouter cylindrical surface of the center body of the thresher rotor. Thethreshing teeth are inserted between the welded mounting ears and areheld in place by a bolt which extends through the mounting ears and thethreshing tooth in a direction that is generally parallel to thelongitudinal axis of the threshing rotor. Consequently, the tooth has adegree of freedom, that is, it can rotate or pivot about the mountingbolt in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the threshingrotor. To prevent that rotation, one of two mechanisms may be used.

The first mechanism requires that a keystock such as a small rectangularbar be welded to an edge of the mounting ears adjacent both of thelongitudinal edges of the threshing tooth so that the welded keystocksprevent the threshing tooth from pivoting in the plane perpendicular tothe axis of the threshing rotor and support the threshing tooth in thedesired radial direction with respect to the threshing rotor. However,if, in the threshing process, the tooth encounters a hard object; and anexcessive force is applied to the threshing tooth in a directionopposite the direction of angular rotation of the threshing rotor, thekeystock supporting the tooth which is subject to that excessive forcewill break away thereby permitting the threshing tooth to rotate aboutthe mounting bolt. The break-away action of the keystock protects thethreshing tooth and threshing rotor and the adjacent basket fromexcessive damage.

Another mechanism for preventing the threshing tooth from pivoting aboutthe mounting bolt and holding the threshing tooth in the generallyradial direction is to provide a notch in the outermost ends of themounting ears, and to locate a shear pin that extends through thethreshing tooth in those notches. Consequently, if the threshing toothis subjected to an excessive force in opposition to the direction of therotation of the threshing rotor, the shear pin will break. Therefore,the shear pin prevents excessive damage to the threshing tooth, thethreshing rotor and the basket.

Threshing rotors of the above fixed tooth position design have anadvantage in that damaged threshing teeth may be easily replaced becauseeach tooth is individually secured into place with a very accessiblemounting bolt. However, the mounting ears for the threshing teeth arewelded in place on the threshing rotor, and, therefore, the relativepositions of the threshing teeth are fixed. Consequently, the design hasthe disadvantage of being inflexible in rearranging the threshing teethin different patterns. Further, in order to remove and insert themounting bolt through the mounting ears there must be a predeterminedclearance space between adjacent sets of mounting ears. Consequently,the design has a disadvantage in limiting the density of threshing teethon the threshing rotor. The above limitations on the placement anddensity of threshing teeth limits the applications of theabove-described fixed tooth position threshing rotor. For example, thefixed tooth position threshing rotor may be used in the first andsometimes second threshing stages, but is generally not applicable to athird and subsequent threshing stages.

To overcome the disadvantages of the fixed tooth position threshingrotor, the disc-type threshing rotor was developed. With this design,the threshing rotor is comprised of a plurality of adjacent ring-likerotor discs which slide over and are stacked together on a cylindricalcenter body. Each rotor disc has a plurality, for example, six,threshing teethmounting locations. The mounting locations are defined byan equal number of circumferentially spaced holes close to the outerperiphery of the rotor disc. The rotor discs are mounted on the centerbody so that all of the holes are in longitudinal and axial alignmentwith respect to the thresher rotor. Any pattern of threshing teeth maybe achieved by placing the threshing teeth at selected mountinglocations between the rotor discs. There are six circumferentialthreshing tooth locations on each threshing disc; and further, with the0.25 inch thick rotor discs being separated by a spacing therebetween of0.25 inches, threshing teeth may be located at any 0.500 inch incrementover the length of the threshing rotor. The essentially no practicallimitation on the spacing between threshing teeth or the pattern inwhich the threshing teeth are arranged.

The threshing teeth are pivotally held in position by rods that extendthrough mounting holes in all of the threshing discs. The ends of therods are secured against the end plates which in turn are connected toend shafts. As described, with respect to the fixed tooth positionthreshing rotor, the threshing teeth can be held and supported in agenerally radial direction by a pair of keystocks welded on one side ofthe rotor disc at each of the tooth mounting locations. Consequently, bylocating the threshing teeth between pairs of welded keystocks, thethreshing teeth are supported and held in the desired radiallyorientation. As described above, if an excessive force is applied to theedge of the threshing tooth in a direction opposite the direction ofrotation of the threshing rotor, that excessive force will fracture andbreak the keystock receiving the force. Therefore, the threshing toothis permitted to pivotally rotate about the mounting shaft therebyprotecting it and the threshing rotor from excessive damage.

While the above disc-type threshing rotor design provides practicallyinfinite flexibility in the placement of threshing teeth, thereplacement of damaged threshing teeth and broken keystocks issubstantially more difficult. As will be appreciated, welding a newkeystock in its proper location within the 0.250 inch spacing betweenadjacent rotor discs is very difficult. Alternatively, disassembly ofthe rotor to replace broken keystrokes is difficult, time consuming andexpensive. Consequently, under the pressures of production, instead ofreplacing the broken keystock, a new or existing threshing tooth isoften welded to an adjoining rotor disc.

The above disc-type rotor design may also utilize the shear pintype ofconstruction in which notches are cut into the outer peripheral edge ofeach of the rotor discs adjacent the mounting holes. Therefore, rotorteeth having shear pins inserted therein are disposed between the rotordiscs and the shear pin is located in the peripheral notches. Onceagain, an excessive force on the shearing tooth will shear the pin andpermit the shearing tooth to pivot with respect to the mounting shaft.While the shear pin design with the disc-type roller has the advantagesof a practically infinite flexibility with regard to placement of thethreshing teeth, and further eliminates the problems associated withreplacing keystocks, the design has proven to have the disadvantage ofbeing susceptible to too frequent breakage of the shearing pin. Theshear pin design is further complicated because spacing washers are usedbetween the rotor discs at those tooth mounting locations where no teethare mounted. Therefore, to replace a broken shear pin or threshingtooth, when the threshing tooth mounting shafts is removed andreinserted, spacing washers, shear pins and threshing teeth must behandled and maintained in alignment.

Both the keystock and shear pins designs have a further disadvantage inthat when they absorb the energy of an excessive force and break, piecesof metal are separated from the threshing rotor. Those pieces couldlodge and wedge within the rotor assembly; they could find their wayinto and damage other mechanical components or they could enter thefeedstock and require separation. In any event, it is undesirable forthe threshing rotor components to break into separate pieces.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

To overcome the disadvantages described above, the present inventionprovides a disk-type threshing rotor which has the advantage of beingable to locate the threshing teeth in any pattern but eliminates theproblems associated with replacing broken keystocks and shear pins.Further, the disk-type threshing rotor of the present invention permitsthe threshing teeth to yield from excessive forces with little potentialfor deformed parts to break loose and drop into the machinery or thefeedstock. Further, if excessive forces have damaged a threshing toothand its supporting elements, the damaged threshing tooth and elementsmay be repaired more easily in the field without the need of weldingequipment or other special tools. Therefore, the threshing rotor of thepresent invention can more easily be kept maintained so that it isfunctioning at its full capability and efficiency which ultimatelyreduces its operating costs.

According to the principles of the present invention and in accordancewith the described embodiments, the present invention provides athreshing machine rotor assembly having of a series of immediatelyadjacent rotor discs in which each disc has a plurality of threshingteeth locations. A predetermined pattern of threshing teeth is createdby locating threshing teeth at selected ones of the threshing teethlocations. The threshing teeth are supported and maintained in agenerally radially orientation with respect to the threshing rotor byspacers which are inserted between adjacent discs and which extendbetween the entire circumferential space between the threshing teethlocations.

The above construction has the advantage of flexibility in placing thethreshing teeth in any desired pattern around the threshing rotor. Inaddition, the spacers secure the teeth without the requirement ofwelding and further provide a greater deformation resistance than istypically provided by the shear pin construction. Further, in the casewhere excessive forces on the threshing teeth cause the teeth to rotateabout the tooth mounting shaft, the spacer will deform and not breakinto different pieces, thereby minimizing the probability of furtherdamage to the machinery and contamination of the feedstock. The damagedspacers of the present invention may be removed without having todisassemble or remove the threshing teeth and are simply pulled out ofthe rotor assembly.

In a further aspect of the invention, each of the spacers has a bodymember that is generally shaped to match an area of the rotor discsegment that is between the threshing teeth locations. The body memberhas two yieldable or ductile side members with outer edges extendingalong facing or opposed edges of adjacent ones of the threshing teethmounting locations. The yieldable side members have an outer directedsurface which abuts against one side of a threshing tooth. A yieldablebase member is connected between ends of the side members. The yieldablemembers of the spacer body are made from a ductile material so that theydeform in response to a rotation of the threshing tooth which theycontact.

In a further aspect of the invention, the spacer body member includes ayieldable bridge member connected between the other ends of theyieldable side members to form a generally quadrilaterally shapedspacer. Further, a centrally located yieldable mounting member extendsbetween the yieldable base and bridge members. The mounting membercontains a mounting hole through which a spacer mounting shaft isinserted to pivotally mount the spacer in its desired location.

These and other objects and advantages of the present invention willbecome more readily apparent during the following detailed descriptionin conjunction with the drawings herein.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a broken away side view partially in cross-section of athreshing rotor assembly.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken generally along line 2--2 of FIG.1 and illustrates the assembly of the spacers with respect to a rotordisc.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a single spacer.

FIG. 4 is a plan view of the rotor disks of the rotor assembly.

FIG. 5 is a plan view of the rotor end plates of the rotor assembly.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

FIG. 1 illustrates an assembly of a threshing machine rotor 20 whichutilizes the construction of the present invention. In a manner wellknown, the threshing machine rotor is rotatably mounted within athreshing machine (not shown) and is connected to a rotary drive by oneor the other of the ends of drive shafts 22. The other ends of the driveshafts 22 have larger diameter shafts 24 which are sized to fit theinternal diameter of a tube 26. The larger shafts 24 are welded in theends of the tube 26 and form an integral center body 28 of the threshingmachine rotor 20.

A plurality of rotor discs 36 (FIG. 4) are slid over the tube 24 andstacked side by side until the discs 36 extend over the full length ofthe center body 28 between end plates 38 (FIG. 5). The end plates 38 arefixed in a rotational position with respect to the drive shafts 22 bymeans of a key 40. Similarly, preferably the rotor discs 36 are fixed inan angular orientation with respect to the center body 28 by a key 41.

Preferably, the rotor discs 36 have a thickness of approximately 0.25inches and preferably have the identical spacing between each of thediscs. Depending on the nature of the threshing application, that is thephysical characteristics of the feedstock to be threshed, as well as thethreshing stage, it is desired that the threshing rotor 20 be assembledto have a predetermined pattern of threshing teeth 42 along its length.The pattern of threshing teeth may be, for example, a helical pattern,or straight rows of threshing teeth, or rows of threshing teeth in whichthe teeth are in alternate locations with each row. The threshing teeth42 are preferably 0.25 inches thick and are located in the spacingbetween the rotor discs 36. To further maintain rotor disc spacing, thepresent invention utilizes spacers 44 which also have the desired 0.25inch thickness.

As shown in FIG. 2, each of the rotor discs 36 has a plurality ofpotential threshing teeth mounting locations 46. Further, it ispreferable that the threshing teeth 42 be supported and maintained sothat they project outwardly from the center body 28 in a generallyradial direction with respect to an axis of rotation 47 of the centerbody 28. As shown in FIG. 2, the spacers 44 extend between and over thecomplete circumferential distance between the tooth mounting locations46.

The plurality of rotor discs 36 have a plurality of spacer mountingholes or first holes 48 that are equally spaced around the circumferenceof the rotor discs 36. In addition, the rotor discs 36 have a pluralityof tooth mounting holes or second holes 50 that are equally spacedbetween the first holes 48 and extend generally centrally through thetooth mounting locations 46. Each of the threshing teeth 42 has amounting hole 52 which mates with each of the plurality of second holes50 in the rotor discs 36 when the threshing tooth 42 is properly locatedat the tooth mounting location 46. A plurality of first shafts 54 extendthrough the second holes 50 of all of the rotor discs 36 and also extendthrough the mounting holes 52 of the threshing teeth 42 which have beenplaced at their desired location. The threshing teeth mounting shaft 54extends through mating holes 56 of the end plates 38, and nuts or otherfasteners 58 are attached to the ends of the first shafts 54 therebyclamping or securing the components of the thresher rotor 20 together asa unit. Therefore, the threshing teeth mounting shafts 54 are effectiveto pivotally support the threshing teeth 42 at a first radial distancefrom the axis of rotation 47.

Each of the spacers 44 has a mounting hole 60 which, when the spacers 44are placed in their desired positions between the tooth mountinglocations 46, mate with the first holes 48 in the rotor discs 36. Aplurality of spacer mounting shafts 62 extend through the first holes 48of the rotor discs 36 and the mounting holes 60 of the spacers 44 topivotally mount the spacers 44 thereon. The spacer mounting shafts, orsecond shafts 62 extend through mating holes 64 of the end plates 38 andnuts, cotter pins or other fasteners 66 are attached to the ends of thespacer mounting shafts 62.

Preferably, the spacers 44 as shown in FIG. 3 have a body member 68 madefrom a malleable or ductile material. The spacer body member 68 hasfirst and second yieldable side members 70, 72 which have respectiveouter edges 74, 76 that extend along facing or opposed edges of themounting tooth locations 46. Further, the yieldable side members 70, 72have respective outer directed surfaces 78, 80 which abut up againstadjacent side surfaces 81 of the threshing teeth 42. The spacer body 68further has a yieldable base member 82 which extends between commonlyoriented ends of the side members 70, 72. The base member 82 has anouter directed surface 84 which is generally shaped to mate with theouter cylindrical surface 86 of the center body 28. Further, theyieldable base member 82 has a notch 88 which is generally centrallylocated in the base member 82 and is sized to receive the key 41 locatedbetween the center body 28 and the discs 36.

The spacer body member 68 further has a yieldable bridge member 90 whichextends between the opposite ends of the side members 70, 72. Theyieldable bridge member 90 has an outer directed, generally arcuatelongitudinal edge 92 which is shaped generally to match the outerperiphery 94 of the rotor discs 36. The body member 68 further has ayieldable mounting member 85 which extends between and is connected at agenerally central location to the base and bridge members 82, 90,respectively. The body member has the mounting hole 60 and further has asecond hole, or hook hole, 96 which is located between the mounting hole60 and the peripheral edge 92 of the bridge member 90. The discs 36 havea plurality of notches or slots 98 which are located at the intersectionof the mounting and base members 85, 82 and match the location of thehook holes 96 in the spacer body members 68. The notches 98 provide aclearance so that a hook-like tool can be disposed in the slots 98,inserted into the hook hole 96 and used to pull out the spacer 44.

The illustrated geometric shape of the spacer 44 in FIG. 3 has beendetermined by experimentation to be a preferable shape. The spacer 44should preferably provide a greater resistance to deformation than istypically provided by shear pin and should have a deformation resistancethat is comparable to welded keystocks. The body member 68 of thespacers 44 has identical openings 100 on each side of the mounting hole60 which are generally quadrilateral and approximately trapezoidal inshape. The openings 100 first reduce the weight of the spacer 44, andfurther, provide a width of the yieldable members 70, 72, 82, 85, 90such that a force comparable to that required to break a welded keystockis required to deform those yieldable members.

In use, after the threshing rotor is completely assembled, it isinserted in a threshing machine. If, in use, any one of the threshingteeth 42 encounter a force having a substantial force component in adirection opposite the direction of rotation of the threshing rotor 20,that threshing tooth will pivot with respect to the mounting shaft 54and deform the yieldable members of the spacers 44 adjacent to thattooth. To replace those deformed spacers, the appropriate spacermounting shafts 62 are removed from the threshing rotor 20 until thedamaged spacers are released from the shafts 62. A hook tool is theninserted in the slots 98 of the rotor discs 36 and hooked into the holes96. The spacers 44 are then pulled out and removed from the threshingrotor assembly. The pivoted threshing tooth is then reoriented in aradial direction, and new spacers are inserted between the adjacentrotor disc 36 and threshing teeth locations 46. Consequently, thedamaged spacers 44 can be replaced without having to disassemble thethreshing rotor 20. In addition, the threshing tooth which was subjectto the excessive force may not be damaged and does not have to beremoved in order to replace the spacers and reorient the tooth. Further,the spacers 44 may be replaced in the field without special equipment orwithout having to perform difficult repair tasks, such as, for example,rewelding a keystock back into place.

The spacers 44 of the present invention may be flame-cut from the same0.250 inch thick steel plate from which the thresher discs 36 are made.Preferably, the spacers 44 should fit snugly against the threshing teeth42. Therefore, the tolerance relating to the length of the spacers 44between the edges 74, 76 is important and should be maintained at ±0.010inches. In addition, the spacers 44 should rest evenly against the sides81 of the teeth 42 and the outer cylindrical surface 86 of the centerbody 28. Therefore, the manufacturing of the outer directed surface 84of the base member 82 and the outer directed surfaces 78, 80 ofrespective side members 70, 72 should be maintained to the same ±0.010inch tolerance. To obtain the preferred tolerances, the outer directedsurfaces 78, 80 of the respective side members 70, 72 and the outerdirected surface 84 of the base member 82 are manufactured by a punchingprocess. If the preferred tolerance is exceeded, the spacer 44 will notsnugly fit against the threshing teeth 42 and surface 86 of center body28; and the spacers 44 will have a tendency to pivot and vibrate withrespect to the mounting shafts 62. That vibration produces an annoyingnoise, and further, will accelerate the wear of the spacers 44 and thethreshing teeth 42 at a rate greater than if the spacers 44 are moresnugly fit in place. The holes 60, 96 are preferably punched, and theother profiles of the spacers 44 are preferably made by flame cutting.

While the invention has been set forth by a description of theembodiment in considerable detail, it is not intended to restrict or inany way limit the claims to such detail. Additional advantages andmodifications will readily appear to those who are skilled in the art.Accordingly, departures may be made from the details described hereinwithout departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:
 1. A threshing machine rotor assembly of the typeused for separating a leaf stem from a leaf, the threshing machine rotorassembly comprising:a plurality of rotor discs located immediatelyadjacent each other and defining between them a plurality of threshingteeth locations, a plurality of teeth located with respect to selectedones of the threshing teeth locations of the plurality of rotor discs; aplurality of spacers removably disposed between adjacent ones of theplurality of rotor discs, the plurality of spacers extending between andfrom one to the other of the threshing teeth mounting locations on theplurality of rotor discs.
 2. The threshing machine rotor assembly ofclaim 1 wherein each of the plurality of spacers further comprise aplurality of yieldable members connected to form a quadrilateralgenerally wedge shaped member.
 3. A threshing machine rotor assembly ofthe type used for separating a leaf stem from a leaf, the threshingmachine rotor assembly comprising:a generally cylindrical center body; apair of end plates mounted on opposite ends of the center body; aplurality of rotor discs mounted immediately adjacent each other on thecenter body between the pair of end plates, each of the plurality ofrotor discs havinga plurality of first holes generally circumferentiallyand equally spaced around a circumference of the rotor disc, and aplurality of second holes generally equally spaced between the pluralityof first holes; a plurality of teeth located with respect to selectedones of the plurality of rotor discs, each of the plurality of teethhaving a mounting hole being in general alignment with selected ones ofthe plurality of second holes; a plurality of first shafts extendingthrough the plurality of second holes in the rotor discs and themounting holes in the plurality of teeth, each of the plurality of firstshafts being secured at its ends against the pair of end plates, theplurality of first shafts first, pivotally supporting the plurality ofteeth at a first radius with respect to a center of the rotor discs, andsecond, locating the plurality of rotor discs with respect to each otherand the pair of end plates; a plurality of spacers locatedcircumferentially around outer peripheries of and between the pluralityof rotor discs, each of the plurality of spacers having a plurality ofyieldable members connected to form a generally quadrilaterally shapedmember having an edge surface abutting against a side of one of theplurality of teeth; and a plurality of second shafts extending throughthe mounting holes in the plurality of spacers and the plurality offirst holes in the plurality of rotor discs, the plurality of secondshafts pivotally supporting the plurality of spacers with respect to therotor discs.
 4. The threshing machine rotor assembly of claim 3 whereineach of the plurality of rotor discs further includes a plurality ofslots generally equally spaced around the circumference of the rotordisc and proximate the plurality of first holes.
 5. The threshingmachine rotor assembly of claim 4 wherein each of the spacers furthercomprises a second hole generally proximate the mounting hole andoriented to align with the plurality of slots in the rotor discs uponthe spacer being located with respect to a rotor disc.
 6. The threshingmachine rotor assembly of claim 5 wherein the first hole in the spacersis located a radial distance from a center axis of the center body thatis less than a radial distance defining the location of the second holesin the rotor discs.
 7. A threshing machine rotor spacer adapted to bemounted in a threshing machine rotor assembly, the rotor assemblyfurther includes a plurality of threshing teeth and a plurality of rotordiscs having a plurality of threshing teeth mounting locations in axialalignment along the rotor assembly, the plurality of threshing teethbeing located at selected ones of the plurality of threshing teethlocations on the plurality of rotor discs, the threshing machine rotorspacer comprising:a spacer body member adapted to be locatedcircumferentially between adjacent ones of the plurality of threshingteeth mounting locations on adjacent ones of the plurality of rotordiscs, the spacer body further includingtwo yieldable side membersproviding two outer edges extending along opposed edges of adjacent onesof the plurality of threshing teeth mounting locations, each of theyieldable side members providing an outer directed surface which isadapted to abut against a side of one of the plurality of teeth; ayieldable base member having ends connected to commonly oriented ends ofthe two yieldable side members; portions of the yieldable membersdeforming in response to a rotation of the one of the plurality ofteeth.
 8. A threshing machine rotor spacer adapted to be mounted in athreshing machine rotor assembly, the threshing machine rotor assemblyfurther includes a plurality of threshing teeth and a plurality of rotordiscs having a plurality of threshing teeth mounting locations inlongitudinal alignment along the rotor assembly, the plurality ofthreshing teeth being mounted at selected ones of the plurality ofthreshing teeth locations on the plurality of rotor discs, the threshingmachine rotor spacer comprising:a spacer body member adapted to belocated circumferentially between adjacent ones of the plurality ofthreshing teeth mounting locations on adjacent ones of the plurality ofrotor discs, the spacer body further includingtwo yieldable side membersproviding two outer longitudinal edges extending along facing edges ofadjacent ones of the plurality of threshing teeth mounting locations,each of the yieldable side members providing an outer directed surfacewhich is adapted to abut against a side of one of the plurality ofteeth; a yieldable base member having ends connected to first commonlyoriented ends of the two yieldable side members; and a yieldable bridgemember connected to opposite ends of the two yieldable side members;portions of the yieldable members deforming in response to a rotation ofthe one of the plurality of teeth.
 9. The threshing machine rotor spacerof claim 8 further comprising a yieldable mounting member extendingbetween the base member and the bridge member, the yieldable mountingmember having mounting hole for pivotally mounting the rotor spacer. 10.The threshing machine rotor spacer of claim 9 wherein the yieldablemounting member further including a hook hole located between themounting hole and the bridge member, the hook hole facilitating removalof the rotor spacer.
 11. The threshing machine rotor spacer of claim 8wherein the threshing machine rotor spacer is generally wedge shaped.12. The threshing machine rotor spacer of claim 8 wherein the pluralityof rotor discs are mounted on a center body having a cylindrical outersurface and the yieldable base member further comprises an outerdirected generally arcuate longitudinal edge.
 13. The threshing machinerotor spacer of claim 12 wherein the yieldable base member furthercomprises an outer directed surface generally shaped to mate with theouter cylindrical surface of the center body.
 14. The threshing machinerotor spacer of claim 8 wherein the yieldable bridge member furthercomprises an outer directed generally arcuate longitudinal edge.
 15. Thethreshing machine rotor spacer of claim 14 wherein the yieldable bridgemember further comprises an outer directed generally longitudinal edgegenerally shaped to match an outer periphery of the plurality of rotordiscs.
 16. The threshing machine rotor spacer of claim 9 wherein outerdirected surface of the yieldable base member further includes a notchadapted to receive a key extending from the outer cylindrical surface ofthe center body.
 17. The threshing machine rotor spacer of claim 16wherein the notch is generally located at the intersection of theyieldable base member and the yieldable center member.
 18. A threshingmachine rotor disc adapted to be supported within a rotating threshingmachine rotor assembly, the rotor assembly further having a pair of endplates nonrotationally mounted to opposite ends of a center body, aplurality of first shafts connected at their ends to the pair of endplates, the plurality of first shafts extending through mounting holesin a plurality of threshing teeth for pivotally supporting the pluralityof threshing teeth, the threshing machine rotor disc comprising:a ringmember having an inner opening sized to slide over the center bodyincludinga plurality of first holes generally equally spaced withrespect to each other, each of the plurality of first holes having afirst radial displacement from an axis of rotation of the thresher rotorassembly, and each of the plurality of first holes adapted to receiveone of a plurality of second shafts pivotally supporting a spacer withrespect to the threshing machine rotor disc; a plurality of notches,each of the plurality of notches intersecting a periphery of the ringmember and being generally in radial alignment with one of the pluralityof first holes; and a plurality of second holes, each of the pluralityof second holes having a second radial displacement from the axis ofrotation of the thresher rotor assembly greater than the first radialdisplacement, and each of the plurality of second holes adapted toreceive one of the plurality of first shafts for locating one of theplurality of threshing teeth with respect to the threshing machine rotordisc.
 19. A threshing machine rotor disc adapted to be supported withina threshing machine rotor assembly, the rotor assembly further having apair of end plates nonrotationally mounted to opposite ends of a centerbody, a plurality of first shafts connected at their ends to the pair ofend plates, the plurality of first shafts extending through mountingholes in a plurality of threshing teeth for pivotally supporting theplurality of threshing teeth, the threshing machine rotor disccomprising:a ring member having an inner opening sized to slide over thecenter body includinga plurality of first holes being generally equallyspaced with respect to each other, each of the plurality of first holesadapted to receive one of a plurality of second shafts for pivotallysupporting a spacer with respect to the threshing machine rotor disc; aplurality of slots generally equally spaced around the outer peripheryof the ring member and being proximate to the plurality of first holesand a plurality of second holes generally equally spaced between theplurality of first holes, each of the plurality of second holes adaptedto receive one of the plurality of first shafts for locating one of theplurality of threshing teeth with respect to the ring member.
 20. Thethreshing machine rotor disc of claim 19 wherein the plurality of firstholes are radial displaced from an axis of rotation of the center body adistance less than a radial displacement the plurality of second holes.